The Saturday morning discussions for LFBCS students started again at 9:00 am, January 7, 2023, on the title of the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra with the first of many sessions on “Prajna,” one of the most important and central features of the entire sutra. We covered just over half of the questions for Lesson 3 and will hopefully be able to finish this class at the same time on January 14.
We covered why certain words, including “prajna” were not translated from Sanskrit into Chinese or into English or Spanish along with what is meant by the word “prajna” and how it cannot be just called “wisdom.” We considered the shortcoming of “scattered intelligence,” how it is generated, and how it differs from “prajna.” We began our exploration of what is meant by “original appearance,” “reality state,” and “Buddha nature.” We considered what happens to us when we meditate, why we learn Buddha Dharma, the truth of all conditioned dharmas, why we must understand impermanence, and more. All of this was the foundation we needed to enter deeply the study of prajna.
When we continue our discussion next week we will look at “How would you explain the ‘form of formlessness’?” and “What must we do to be able to enter the state of samadhai, transcend the seventh or manas consciousness and the eight or alaya consciousness, and attain liberation?” as well as “How do we rid ourselves of our karmic hindrances?” and other questions. Those who are enrolled in either the Buddhist Studies or Xiuxing Seminary programs can still register for the class and watch videos of other sessions as well as download all the questions for DCB121 “Imparting the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra: Forwards, Introductions, & Title.”
We hope to be able to start Lesson 4 on the “Three Kinds of Prajna” on January 21 where we will go deeper into the purpose and nature of “language prajna,” “contemplative-illumination prajna,” and “intrinsic-reality prajna” and how to go from delusion to awakening.
Another question that will be asked later is what advice the Buddha Master gives us on learning from other Dharma Masters. He has said we MUST study the classic commentaries and major sutras if we want to have students. An example is Master Tsongkapa’s Lam Rim Chen Mo. Although He said we should learn from the true patriarchs and matriarchs . .
“you must first have correct understanding and correct views.”
We get this from listening to and reading His discourses and writings. You can see the list of sutras and commentaries that you MUST study, especially if you want to have disciples. Now that I have been able to study both the Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation and Imparting the Absolute Truth through the Heart Sutra, I find it very helpful to study both the lives of the great Buddhist saints and masters and the classic commentaries. You will find an article on Master Tsongkapa in this blog and articles on Master Milarepa (1028-1123) and Lady Niguma (B24) in recent ones. We have placed priority on adding classes related to the teachings and activities of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, but are adding biographies and commentaries from other masters as well.
Two new courses—D07.1(A)-Concise Discourses and D07:2(A)-Discourses by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Answers Questions from Western Disciples—from 2006 and 2009 are available for all beginning students. Questions range from the bardo to dragons to zen. Like most of our classes these are using readings of preliminary and unofficial translations of unpublished discourses on a range of topics of concern to different students.
December 17, 2022: for article on Lesson 2 (82-117) and HERE for the recording of that class.
December 10, 2022: for article on Lesson 1 (54-81) and HERE for the video recording of that class.
December 3, 2022: for article on Lesson 0B (28-53) and HERE for the video recording of that class.
November 26, 2022: article on 0A (1-27) and HERE for the video recording of that class.
November 21, 2022: for earlier article introducing Lesson 0A.
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